Serological survey of a new type of reovirus in humans in China

Abstract

To evaluate the presence of a new type of reovirus (designated R4) in humans, we determined the prevalence of specific antibodies using a neutralization assay and ELISA. The sera from 97 healthy people and 219 patients in our hospital with measles, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, liver diseases, and diarrhoea were investigated. Although the study population was limited, our data suggested that R4 is widespread in the human population. A significantly higher level of R4-specific antibody in patients than in healthy people is worthy of consideration, since it poses a risk for aggravation of the extant illness by the reovirus.

Fig. 1.

(a) Comparison of positive rate of microneutralization assay for R4. Differences in positive rate were analysed in groups by χ² test using SPSS v. 12.0 software (SPSS Inc., USA) (*P < 0·01, **P < 0·05). (b) Comparison of positive rate of ELISA assay for R4. Differences in positive rates were analysed in groups by χ² test using SPSS v. 12.0 software (*P < 0·01, **P < 0·05).